Brake for vehicles



(No Model.)

M. COSSEY. BRAKE FOR VEHICLES.

No. 406,628. Patentd July 9,1889.

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X v I W 7 QAZLW %0 :dllornqy UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL COSSEY, OF FORESTVILLE, IOlVA.

BRAKE FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 406,628, dated July 9, 1889. Application filed March 21, 1889. Serial No. 304,121. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, lVIICHAEL COSSEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Forestville, in the county of Delaware and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brakes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a sled with my improved brake attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the tongue thrown back upon the top of the sled. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through one side of the sled; and Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through the tongue and the pivoted cross-pieces of the sled, showing the bolt 0 in position within its perforation.

Like letters of reference are used to denote corresponding parts throughout the entire specification and several views of the drawings.

My invention has relation to vehicle-brakes, and more especially as appliedto sleds, the object of the same being to provide a means whereby the sled or other vehicle may be effectually checked by the longitudinal movement of the tongue of the vehicle; and it consists in the improved construction and combination of parts of the same, as hereinafter more fully set forth and described.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A represents a sled of ordinary construction provided with transverse beams B C, said beams in turn being provided, respectively, with staples b b c c. Passing through these staples are rods D D, and pivoted to the forward ends of these rods are similar rods E E, which in turn are pivoted to a cross-piece F. The tongue G of the sled is secured to this cross-piece, and is provided with a turn-button H, to which is attached the outer end of a strip or arm I, the inner end thereof being secured to the cross-piece.

Arranged below the cross-piece F, and turning in suitable bearings in the forward ends I of the runners, is a corresponding cross-piece J, which is provided with a forwardly-extending arm K, said arm being provided with a longitudinal slot 76, and on opposite extremities with sleeves or clips L L, through which the tongue of the sled passes, thereby adapting the same to have a longitudinal play therethrough. The tongue G is further provided with perforations g g, the latter being adapted to receive a double-headed bolt M, which passes through the longitudinal slot in the forwardly-extending arm, and thence through a flat plate N, bearing against the under side of said forwardlyextending arm. This flat plate projects beyond the end of arm K, and is then bent upwardly at an incline and then outwardly, the outward extremity being secured to the tongue of the vehicle.

- The perforation g is adapted to receive a pin or bolt 0, which, when not in position within the perforation, is conveniently secured to the upper portion of bolt M, by means of a cord or equivalent. This pin 0, as stated, passes through perforation g, and thenceinto the longitudinal slot of the forwardly-extending arm K, and is adapted to prevent the action of the brake, when for any reason this is found desirable or necessary.

Secured to the rear ends of the rods D D pivotally are downweirdly-extending rods P P, said rods being provided with rearwardlyextending hooked ends 19 p. The rear extremities of the runners are cut away upon their inner sides, and rearwardly-extending plates Q Q are secured immediately forward of the cut-away portion of the runners, their rear ends extending outward, so as to form arms,between which the lower portions of the rods P P are therein pivoted by means of bolts R R. It is evident, however, that instead of employing these plates Q Q and cutting away the inner sides of the runners the ends of the latter may be bifurcated, which will answer the same purpose and simplify the construction to some extent.

Having thus described the construction of my invention, the operation of the same is as follows: When the sled moves forward over the icy or frozen surface of the ground, the draft upon the tongue will move the same forward to its full extent, thereby raising the hooked ends of the rods P P above the plane of the runners, so that the same will not come in contact with the surface of the ground, thereby permitting of the free forward movement of the sled. l/Vhen the sled or other vehicle is not in motion, and there is any tendency of the same slipping, which is especially liable when the vehicle is at a standstill on an incline or hill, the slight-est backward movement of the vehicle will cause the attached animal to back, forcing the tongue through the sleeves or clips, and at the same time forcing the hooked ends of the rear rods securely in the icy surface'of the roadway. When for any reason it is found desirable to prevent the operation of the brake, all that is necessary to be done is simply to pass the pin or bolt 0 through its appropriate perforation in the tongue, and thence into the longitudinal slot of the forwardly-extending arm K.

It will be seen that the tongue G is provided. toward its rear end with a shoulder 1 which limits the rear movement of the tongue, and if it is found desirable that the hooked ends of the rods P P should not be forced to their full extent into the icy or snowy surface of the roadway all that is necessary to be done is simply to turn the button H from the crosswise position shown in the drawings to a longitudinal position, in which position the rear movement of the tongue will still further be limited. This button II has the further function of securing the bolt or pin 0 more firmly in place within its perforation by turning the same so as to bear against the head of said bolt. This, of course, is only necessary when it is not desired that the brake should operate.

By providing two pivoted horizontal bars D and E, I am en abled, whenthe sled is not in use, to throw the tongue back, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, so as to avoid danger of damage to the tongue of the vehicle, and at the same time adapting the sled to occupy a considerably less space.

It is obvious that this improved construction of brake may be equally applicable to any other form of vehicle with but the slightest modification being necessary.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure protection in by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1.. The combination, with the frame of a sled having the rear ends of the runners thereof bifurcated, of the cross-piece pivoted in the forward ends of the runners and form ed or provided with a forwardly-extending arm, said arm being provided with a longitudinal vertically-extending slot, the sleeves or clips arranged at opposite ends of said arm, the

horizontal bars, the upper cross-piece pivoted to the forward ends of said bars, the tongue passing through the sleeves or clips and provided with a vertical perforation, the bolt passing through said perforation and through the longitudinal slot in the forwardly-extending arms, and the rear downwardly-extending bars pivoted to the ends of the horizontal bars and also pivoted in the bifurcated portion of the runners, said arms being provided with hooked ends, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the frame of a sled having the rear ends of the runners thereof bifurcated, of the cross-piece pivoted in the forward ends of the runners and formed or provided with a forwardly-extending arm, said arm having a longitudinal vertically-extending slot, the clips or sleeves arranged at opposite ends of said arm,the rear horizontal bars, the forward horizontal bars pivoted thereto, the forward pivoted cross-piece, the tongue passing through the clips or sleeves and provided with a vertical perforation, the bolt passing through said perforation and through the longitudinal slot in the forwardlyextending arm, and the rear downwardly-extending bars pivoted to the ends of the horizontal bars and also pivoted in the bifurcated portionof the runners, said arms being provided with hooked ends, substantially as set forth.

3. In a brake for sleds and other vehicles, the combination of the brake mechanism, the cross-piece pivoted to the forward ends of the runners and formed or provided with a forwardly-exten ding arm, said arm having a 1011- gitudinal verticallyextending slot therein, the sleeves or clips arranged at opposite ends of said arm, the sliding tongue, and the turnbutton for regulating the inward movement of said tongue, substantially as set forth.

4. In a brake for sleds and other vehicles, the combination of the brake mechanism, the cross-piece pivoted to the forward ends of the runners and formed or provided with a forwardly-extending arm, said arm having a longitudinal vertically-extending slot therein,

the sleeves or clips arranged at opposite ends of said arm,the upper cross-piece, the sliding tongue secured thereto and provided with forward and rear perforations, the doubleheaded bolt passing through the forward perforations, the bolt passing through the rear perforation, and the turn -button, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the cross-pieces of the frame provided with. staples upon their upper sides, the cross-piece pivoted in the forward ends of the runners and formed or provided with a forwardlyextending arm, said arm having a longitudinal vertically-extending slot therein, the clips or sleeves arranged at opposite ends of said arm, the rear horizontal bars, the forward pivoted bars, the upper cross-bar pivoted to the forward ends of said bars, the tongue passing through the rods being provided with hooked ends, sub- :0 clips or sleeves and provided with perforastantially as herein described and set forth. tions for the reception of suitable bolts, the In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in turn-button, the strip or brace connecting presence of two Witnesses.

5 said turn-button to the upper pivoted cross- 7 piece, the lower brace-piece, and the rear MICHAEL COSSEL downwardly-extending bars suitably pivoted Witnesses: to the ends oi the rear horizontal bars and H. F. ARNOLD, also pivoted in the runners of the sled, said JOSEPH SHARP. 

